RDWC setup

[TIMtoKILL]

Right on!

Post some pics as you go. The public with point out things you should adjust, or do differently,as you go.

So I’m trying to come up with a way to create waterfalls in my buckets without using another pump. I was thinking of splitting my intake to split it between pushing into my tubs and putting waterfalls at the top. My pump is rated for 1000 gph and my total water shoud only be ~60 gallons. Have you ever tried running your system without the air stones?

 

[TIMtoKILL]

I think I’m going to try that split and go down to half inch for my waterfalls. Here is a anther chicken scratch scketch to go with it

On your system you have polyvinyl tubing throughout I’m talking about taking a foot or so off to add this.

 

[TIMtoKILL]

Here

 

[JSB99]

I think I’m going to try that split and go down to half inch for my waterfalls. Here is a anther chicken scratch scketch to go with it

On your system you have polyvinyl tubing throughout I’m talking about taking a foot or so off to add this.

You don't need to reduce down to an inch. Just reduce from the 2" down to 3/4" or 1/2", depending on the power of the pump. If you're not going with a 1000gph pump, just go 1/2".

You can do a mix of pvc and poly. Look at my pump manifold pic. It's all pvc. The tube connects the 2" manifold (reduced to 3/4") to the pump manifold.

 

[TIMtoKILL]

I’ve been looking at your pictures for weeks now man it’s really helped. I was talking about making the line that goes up to the water falls a half inch. The 1 inch poly line will connect to the 1 inch pvc then I’ll split a 1/2 inch line from there through a 1 inch t split. The one inch line will connect to the two inch line just like yours. I’m basically just adding a spot where I can run water up to create a water fall at the top of both of my buckets. My only concern is that there won’t be enough water pressure to complete the current but I went overboard on the pump so I should Be good.

 

[JSB99]

I’ve been looking at your pictures for weeks now man it’s really helped. I was talking about making the line that goes up to the water falls a half inch. The 1 inch poly line will connect to the 1 inch pvc then I’ll split a 1/2 inch line from there through a 1 inch t split. The one inch line will connect to the two inch line just like yours. I’m basically just adding a spot where I can run water up to create a water fall at the top of both of my buckets. My only concern is that there won’t be enough water pressure to complete the current but I went overboard on the pump so I should Be good.

What size pump?

 

[TIMtoKILL]

What size pump?

Hydro farm 1000 gph

 

[JSB99]

Hydro farm 1000 gph

You've made a wise choice on the size of the pump! That's pretty much perfect!

But, you don't need a waterfall on each container. It's a lot of unnecessary work to achieve the same results. The waterfall on the reservoir will add plenty of disolved oxygen to the roots, and your pump is powerful enough to get that DO to the center of the roots. I use a little bit different of an approach. I have a 400gph pump and a 70lpm air pump and stones. The water pump is mostly just to circulate the water, even though it has a waterfall, which adds DO. The air pump makes up for that by providing DO to the root ball, having the stones right underneath. What you've got will pretty much do the same thing.

So, just add a waterfall to your reservoir, not your individual containers.

 

[JSB99]

Here's what it looks like with the air pump and stones...

 

[TIMtoKILL]

I read this way too late. Just about done with the dry build I’ll take pictures before I prime weld and paint. Just waiting on my new kickass lights too come in and I’ll be ready to roll!

 

[TIMtoKILL]

Here is the prototype. Welding now and test run tommorow. I’ll add the res in after I get these welded

 

[JSB99]

Here is the prototype. Welding now and test run tommorow. I’ll add the res in after I get these welded

Looks great!

 

[TIMtoKILL]

Did the first run today. Had a leak in my res bulk head. Going to go to local pet store tommorow and grab some aquarium silicone. Probably put it around all my bulkheads to ensure no leaks since all I could do was tephlone them. Didn’t want to risk welding them with the pvc cement.

Also pump didn’t work I think I have to submerge it first. Update will come tommorow

 

[JSB99]

Did the first run today. Had a leak in my res bulk head. Going to go to local pet store tommorow and grab some aquarium silicone. Probably put it around all my bulkheads to ensure no leaks since all I could do was tephlone them. Didn’t want to risk welding them with the pvc cement.

Also pump didn’t work I think I have to submerge it first. Update will come tommorow

Two things:

1. If you're using real bulkheads, and they leak, tighten them. I use an oil filter wrench to tighten mine. Sometimes you have to crank them down. Only tighten a little at a time until the leak stops. Don't overtightened those that aren't leaking. And don't worry about silicon.
2. You have to prime your pump if it's inline, meaning that the pump has to already have water in it to work. To test this, just put your pump in a bucket of water and see if it's working.

 

[JSB99]

Here is the prototype. Welding now and test run tommorow. I’ll add the res in after I get these welded

I was taking a look at your layout again. The way you have your 2" manifold, you're not going to be getting dissolved oxygen to the roots on the far end of the totes. You'll be getting the current to flow through the first pair of plants, but then the flow goes out the side pipes, leaving the far pair of plants to go stagnent. You're going to have all sorts of root problems in the far plants.

I know you just got the totes and pipes, but those things are so cheap, it'd be kind of foolish not to fix things ahead of time. I would got get yourself another couple of 27-gallon totes, and pipes, and rebuild your setup so that the water flows directly from one end of the totes to the other.

 

[TIMtoKILL]

I was taking a look at your layout again. The way you have your 2" manifold, you're not going to be getting dissolved oxygen to the roots on the far end of the totes. You'll be getting the current to flow through the first pair of plants, but then the flow goes out the side pipes, leaving the far pair of plants to go stagnent. You're going to have all sorts of root problems in the far plants.

I know you just got the totes and pipes, but those things are so cheap, it'd be kind of foolish not to fix things ahead of time. I would got get yourself another couple of 27-gallon totes, and pipes, and rebuild your setup so that the water flows directly from one end of the totes to the other.

I would not have room with the 4x3 tent that I have. I already had to cut a whole in the back end. I ended up tightening the bulk heads but I have one small leak coming from the threads between bulkheads and pvc. I coated all my bulkheads in aquirium safe silicone so I don’t have to worry about water.

As far as the plants go I’m only planning on having 2 plants(1 plant per bucket. and will put the net pot in the middle of my 1/2 pvc line. I’m pretty sure that will create enough DO to support the plants. I also put more holes in the sprayers on the side that doesn’t have the bulkhead.

Will update once this silicone sets and I can fill them up again. Getting really close I can feel it.

 

[JSB99]

I would not have room with the 4x3 tent that I have. I already had to cut a whole in the back end. I ended up tightening the bulk heads but I have one small leak coming from the threads between bulkheads and pvc. I coated all my bulkheads in aquirium safe silicone so I don’t have to worry about water.

As far as the plants go I’m only planning on having 2 plants(1 plant per bucket. and will put the net pot in the middle of my 1/2 pvc line. I’m pretty sure that will create enough DO to support the plants. I also put more holes in the sprayers on the side that doesn’t have the bulkhead.

Will update once this silicone sets and I can fill them up again. Getting really close I can feel it.

If the leak is coming in from the threads, use Teflon tape. I thought it was from the container the bulkhead is mounted to. Oh yeah, in case you didn't know, always put the rubber gasket on the male part of the bulkhead, in relation to the container. If you have it on the female side, water will leak through the threads.

One of great advantages to using bulkheads is that you can take things apart very quickly. Using silicon kind of defeats the purpose of the bulkhead, which is to seal the bulkhead wihout the use of sealants. However, the silicone will easily peel away from the container if you remove the bulkheads.

But it's ultimately up to you. Whatever makes you sleep better at night. BTW, have you considered building a framed spill catch? You might have seen mine in my thread. It's a lifesaver, trust me

 

[TIMtoKILL]

If the leak is coming in from the threads, use Teflon tape. I thought it was from the container the bulkhead is mounted to. Oh yeah, in case you didn't know, always put the rubber gasket on the male part of the bulkhead, in relation to the container. If you have it on the female side, water will leak through the threads.

One of great advantages to using bulkheads is that you can take things apart very quickly. Using silicon kind of defeats the purpose of the bulkhead, which is to seal the bulkhead wihout the use of sealants. However, the silicone will easily peel away from the container if you remove the bulkheads.

But it's ultimately up to you. Whatever makes you sleep better at night. BTW, have you considered building a framed spill catch? You might have seen mine in my thread. It's a lifesaver, trust me

I did 2 passes with the Teflon tape and it was still a small leak. I’m talking drops when the bulkheads are full submerged. I’m going to design a catch for the water sooner rather than later. How did you design yours. I know you used a liner maybe I can just staple that too the wall. To create a catch.

 

[JSB99]

I did 2 passes with the Teflon tape and it was still a small leak. I’m talking drops when the bulkheads are full submerged. I’m going to design a catch for the water sooner rather than later. How did you design yours. I know you used a liner maybe I can just staple that too the wall. To create a catch.

What side of the container wall is the bulkhead gasket? Can you post a picture?

I used a pond liner for my catch. You should be able to secure a liner to your wall, but not with Staples. They'll pull right out. What you need to do is take strips of lumber, like 2" x 1", and secure it to studs in the walls, with the liner in between the strips and the walls. With three sides secured, to open side should hold, as long as it's taut.

 

[JSB99]

I just want to make sure you have your bulkheads set up correctly, because the whole point of having bulkheads is to seal. I'm a little confused when you say it's leaking from the threads. Again, pics will help.

It should look like this